INDIANAPOLIS - Lenny Krayzelburg’s desire to
return to the medal stand is the reason he still welcomes the early
wake-up calls and grueling grind of a world-class swimmer.

At 28, Krayzelburg is convinced he can reclaim his
title as the world’s best backstroker before retiring —
and despite being beset by injuries since winning gold at the 2000
Summer Olympics.

“If I could win this year, it would mean even
more than it did in Sydney,” he said.

Four years ago, there were no doubts. Krayzelburg,
a Russian emigrant, went to Sydney as America’s golden boy.
He returned as a coverboy with three gold medals, joining Rick Carey
and John Naber as the only Americans to sweep the 100- and 200-meter
backstroke.

Since then, however, Krayzelburg has battled more
injuries than swimmers.

Twice he needed surgery on his left shoulder. He also
tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while running
on a treadmill and had reconstructive surgery for that, too.

The injuries limited his time in the pool, resulting
in slower times and a slip in the world rankings. Aaron Peirsol and
Michael Phelps have now supplanted Krayzelburg as America’s
favorites in the backstroke at Athens.

His colleagues still see a contender in the swimmer
who finished last year with the world’s fourth-fastest time
in the 100.

“It goes to show you the competitor and athlete
he really is,” Olympic medalist Neil Walker said. “I think
he’ll be just as good, or better, than he was in 2000. He’s
incredible.”

While Krayzelburg believes he can recapture his Olympic
form in time for the Athens Games in August, he knows he’s not
the same swimmer who dominated the sport in 1999 and 2000.

The lack of strength in his left shoulder has limited
him to one event — the 100 backstroke. It also forced him to
consider retirement.

“I thought about it quite a few times this year,”
he said. “When I considered that maybe I should hang it up,
I started thinking more about it and even with the injuries, my times
were still among the best in the world of all time. Once you start
thinking about that, why should you quit?”

That’s when Krayzelburg’s competitive
streak took over.

He returned to the pool this year with a new club
team, a new training program and a renewed passion to bring home a
fourth gold medal. While he continues to swim countless laps, his
new coach has changed the routine to focus less on aerobics and more
on sprints.

Krayzelburg’s performance at the Counsilman
Classic in Indianapolis this month also gave him a confidence boost.

He won the 100 backstroke in 55.10 seconds, well off
the pace of his world record time of 53.60 set in 1999 and now the
men’s oldest long course record on FINA’s books. Krayzelburg
said he was slowed by a new swimming cap, costing him about two-tenths
of a second and a chance to finish in the high 54s — a mark
that indicates he’s still a contender.

But at July’s U.S. Olympic trials in Long Beach,
Calif., Krayzelburg will face what may be the world’s deepest
class of backstrokers:

Peirsol broke Krayzelburg’s
world record in the 200 backstroke in 2002 and finished last year
ranked No. 1 in the 100.

Phelps already has proven he can
beat Krayzelburg and could enter the 100 and 200 to give him a shot
at Mark Spitz’s record seven gold medals in one Olympics.

Walker is a versatile swimmer who
still ranks among the world’s top 20 in the 100 as he tries
to qualify for his second straight Olympics.

Randall Bal emerged as a threat
last year by ranking sixth in the world in the 100.

Jeff Rouse, the 1996 Olympic champion
in the 100 backstroke, who is attempting his own comeback at age
34 after a nearly six-year absence.

The difference, Krayzelburg and Rouse
believe, is experience. In 15 chances to medal at international events,
Krayzelburg has won 13 golds and two silvers.

“It would be easy to look at Lenny’s times
and shoulder situation and say he’s not where he was,”
Rouse said. “But I still consider him a favorite to make the
Olympic team.”

Krayzelburg considers himself an underdog this year,
a role he seems to relish. He’s more relaxed and has embraced
the changes that he thought he needed to make years ago.

He just hopes the combination helps him return from
Athens with a new nickname — the comeback kid — and another
medal in what could be his final meet.

“I don’t think I have anything to prove
to anyone other than myself,” he said. “I’ve accomplished
everything I wanted to in the sport, so I’m just enjoying it.
To have a chance to make another Olympic team would be great and to
win the gold would be even more special.”